#micheljones

Between the Games - Cleaning Gavin's Desk

from TWTGE the lomography issue, January 2013

“I love cameras, like a fat boy loves chocolate cake!” who doesn’t know this jingle? Michel Jones is known by the whole world as Mijonju. Belonging his camera reviews, Michel is a great photographer. His daily shoots bring you in his world, walking on the street, and from his intimate portraits you can feel the emotion of the people in front of Michel. But I think what we love most, is the simple love he has for cameras, especially Lomos and Polaroids.

Hi Michel, please introduce yourself.

I am a photographer based in Tokyo Japan, Love lighting too. I’m also have Objectophilia for Cameras.

What is your relationship with nature?

I love the beach, a place I love to hang out. Sometimes I go to Chiba or Kamakura, just listening to the ocean singing and letting the sun cook me, makes me feel spiritually recharged. (humanoid solar panel?). My gene is kinda special, I just turn really dark when I’m under the sun, no peeling or sun burns, don’t know why.

20 years from now, how do you think the World will look?

I feel like some kinda war might occur, I hope it doesn’t. Another thing, based on what I see on children’s’ TV on a Sunday morning, all I see is that kids nowadays admire and want goodies from things that doesn’t really exist in real life, no real education value too, but i gotta give credit for Creativity. in my point of view, the future looks fked. Humans survive. It’s a curve, something good will spawn from it after the downfall, it has always been like this.

What is wild for you?

Get drunk in a clown costume, have a chance to shoot couples in the park having sex and are fully nude. like Kohei Yoshiyuki. (he didn’t get drunk in a clown costume) but if it was me, I’d do it that way, and yes as you imagined, with a rainbow afro wig too.

What is Photography?

It means something different to everyone. I have a bad memory, any photo that reminds me of sweet moments and nostalgic scenes. Also Beautiful people age, like I said it’s for memories, I love photographing beautiful people. I’m glad I help them retain their beauty eternally in a visual way. So to me Photography is like a beautifully made version of a slice of memory.

What are the differences between photography and lomography for you?

Lomography is about groups and a bunch of people hanging out, meeting new people. experimenting with limitations. Photography is similar but only to a more personal extend, using your own sweet time.

How did you get into lomography?

It’s true, if you have and SLR or other camera, when you try to cross process, it will look lomish but not exactly lomo, the Flagship camera LOMO LC-A series is truly the 1 and only camera that has a unique touch in the cross processing vignette lomo look, “Always use the right tool for the job” That’s why I got the LC-A+.

Where do you get inspiration?

I don’t really know, I usually walk around in book stores, I guess by skimming though books I pick things up randomly?

What kind of camera do you use when you shoot?

When I work I use a digital SLR Camera (www.mijonju.com), but when it’s for leisure, I shoot with my Hexar RF with 28mm f2 Hexanon or Polaroid 690. (currently using frequently). 

You like to use film, do you think that digital technology is destroying it or creating nostalgia and bring him back?

It’s not the Knife that hurts people, but the User who use the Knife, if consumers are not that crazy, Companies won’t be that crazy too. Analog is a romance (I’m actually writing a book about this topic will be out soon) I’m just going to be brief. Taking your time, developing that black and white while listening to nice music and a coffee on the table, is more relaxing then deleting 300 photos you took, and picking only 10. Its abuse. Limitation improve our skills, you won’t find the Sashimi in a buffet exquisite. But if you only get to have 4 slices, you will understand the Value of the craft itself. Thus taste better. It’s not Digital Technology that’s destroying the romance of analog, but the people.

Do you have some favorite film?

Yes, I am sad to say they are not in production, I still have about 43 rolls but it’s decreasing by day Kodak 400UC and 5 rolls of Agfa UC, For black and white it’s T-max 400 because I got used to the developing time..

Who are your favorite photographers?

Just too many to count, But here is my current best 3: Dan Winters, Ninagawa Mika, Terry Richardson.

Which are your favourite Lomo/ ToyCamera? Why?

Lomo LC-Wide, why? try it and you’ll know why.

Your personal Lomo rule..

Please do think before you shoot, don’t think just shoot is kinda like a Joke that people didn’t get. And YES after you get them developed please look them and Revise the mistakes. Remember the last rule? “Don’t worry about any rules.”

Michel you are a really camera lover and you love to share this love with your blog “circle rectangle” and the cult youtube page “The Mijonju show!” when start this love, and when you start to share that with the world?

I think I started in 2009, more people start to become interested in analog, So I try to feed them with more information.

How and when “the Mijonju show” born?

A couple of guys asked me a few questions on Circlerectangle and I was just too lazy to reply with text, so I made a video and sent them the link, after weeks, more people came back with questions, so I made more videos, and thus the Cycle begins.

Now a question that a lot of people want to know, how much camera do you have in your collection?

Actually my collection dropped after the earthquake, because I know I like the camera, I cannot let them get hurt, so I spread (sold) them around the world really cheap, not to make a profit, but to give them a safer home. Recently sold my m5 to a Singaporean for a ridiculously cheap price. currently 57 cameras.

In your personal site, I like your Portfolio subdivided in days, why this choice? The people in the photo are people that you see in this days?

Great question! Monday as a very strict day, it’s a start of the week, everything has to be right and standard there for I put those photos on a Monday department. Tuesday is like, you know there is still 3 days ahead before a little break, I put more shadowy and Gradient type photos. Wednesday is in the Middle of a working 5 days, a nice Balance, of 2 sides thus, BLACK AND WHITE, Monochromic. Thursday is a little more relaxing, you feel like you are about to fall onto a safety net, you know it’s coming but not quite. Friday, you shoot in a more casual way, almost impromptu, just feeling and adapting.

You have some future projects?

Coming soon with a book and a Gallery.

Where people can find you and your works?

http://www.mijonju.com for camera porn Circlerectangle.com youtube.com/mijonju

So you want to say something that I don’t ask you?

Yes, People usually ask me if I am rich, and always asking me How I can afford the cameras. the answer is NO, I am not rich, so PLEASE if you have a photography Commission Job OFFER Please E-Mail me at [email protected] (Japan based only) if you want me to fly around the world please include transportation fees. So How do I afford all those cameras? WORK people who work hard everyday won’t ask questions like “oh how can you afford those cameras?” because they know how it feels to work hard, earn cash and give themselves a little present once in awhile, after many while you get a big pile of cameras.